World Building

“Temple” by KseniaYakushina is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0

Resource: The Art of Worldbuilding in Video Games by Career Gamers

The process and “art” of worldbuilding was a lot bigger than I first imagined. But then again I should have guessed that seeing as the word world is in the name, though I didn’t think there was to much to it. At first I thought it was just about finding the setting and theme for the world and adding a little history while the rest would be added later or dealt with differently.

I have learned from this article that world building takes into consideration every little detail that could tell someone (the player most of the time) more about the world they are in if even only a little. Like how in Skyrim they have all these books that I have always just glossed over for the most part but they all help create the mythos for the game and the history of the world. Even the little bardic jigs are stories that help tell players about the world.

But there is also more to it than that, for it to really by “world building” it needs to feel like it’s real or at least could be real, it needs to feel immersive. As a player I tend to like worlds were it feels different from reality because I play games as a way to escape but there are others who like the realness of a game to where they feel connected to the game through the world building, where they can relate to it. There are so many things to consider depending on if you are creating something for yourself or if you are creating something for others.

And when it comes to the art design of it, it’s always nice to have reference material to go off of because most people need inspiration to get things done. But they also need a good application or software to allow them to put those ideas done or they could do it the old fashioned way and grab a pencil and paper. Along those notes I found an art application that I am messing with called Autodesk SketchBook that seems to work really well and is highly rated.

Construct 3 Ghost Shooter

Screenshot from the game

My Game

Link to my game

Summary

  • Simple Construct 3 beginners tutorial, a top down ghost shooter.
  • The Player is fighting Monsters for Survival
  • To make a working game and something that could be improved.

Questions

  • What is needed to improve the game, and what is wanted to improve the game?
  • Does it work and feel okay at it’s base form?

Peer Feedback

  • Scott:
  • Alana:
  • Kaiden:
  • Christian: Different enemy types would also be a nice, Power-ups as well to spice up gameplay addition
  • John:
  • Ethan:
  • Jacob:
  • Hunter: Overall good but controls felt a little hard to use
  • Ian:
  • Giovanni:
  • Trevor:
  • Peyton:
  • Cooper: I think that adding a game over screen where you can restart or play again would help
  • Gage: The concept of the game is very chill but it gets to be not chill in the first few seconds I think it should get gradually harder
  • Slade:
  • Neremia:

Game Analysis: Code Vein

Summary

  • I choose this game because of the nice story telling and game play. It’s a jrpg that’s on xbox and playstation.

Game Play Analysis

Formal Elements
The Basics
Name of the gameCode Vein
The platformPlayed on Xbox One, but is also on Playstation4
Time played (should be at least 30 minutes)2+ hours
If you could work on this game (change it), what would you change and why?I would probably add more types of weapons because there is a limited amount of them but that would be to add more customization.
PlayersNOTES
How many players are supported?1
Does it need to be an exact number?Yes it does
How does this affect play?It gives a more intimate story telling experience.
Some types of player frameworks:Single Player – like Solitare.Head-to-head – 1 vs. 1, Chess.PvE – Player vs. Environment, or multiple players vs. the game. Common in MMOs like World of Warcraft.One against Many – Single-player vs. multiple (obvy).Free-for-all – Every man for himself (1 vs. 1 vs. 1 vs. 1..). Most common for multiplayer games, from Monopoly to Modern Warfare.Individuals Against the System – Like Blackjack, where the Dealer is playing against multiple players, but those players have no effect on each other.Team Competition – Multiple vs. multiple, i.e. sports.Predator-prey – Players form a circle and everyone’s goal is to attack the player on their left and defend themselves from the player on their right.Five-pointed Star – Eliminate both players who are not on either side of you.
Objectives/GoalsNOTES
What are the players trying to do?They are trying to find information about the world and things going on to help people and to do that they have to solve puzzles and defeat monsters.
Some common objectives include:Capture/Destroy – Eliminate all your opponents pieces (Chess).Territorial Acquisition – Control as much territory as you can, not necessarily harming other players (RISK).Collection – Collect a certain number of objects throughout the game (Pokemon).Solve – Solve a puzzle or crime (Clue).Chase/race/escape – Anything where you are running towards or away from something (playground game Tag).Spatial Alignment – Anything involving the positioning of elements (Tetris or Tic-Tac-Toe or that game at Cracker Barrel).Build – Advance your characters or build your resources to a certain point (The Sims).Negation of another goal – The game ends if you perform an act that is forbidden by the rules (Jenga or Twister).
Rules/MechanicsDuring Setup you create your character and what they look like and then you go through the beginning prologue which also acts as a tutorial. Through the progression of play you level up gain new and more powerful gear, and gain new abilities. Opening up new areas and fighting new monsters. As I haven’t finished the game I don’t know it’s ending but at the completion of missions and objectives you gain resources and the like but if you die you lose all the experience used to level up and you respawn but you still have a chance to gain them back by going back to where you died and picking them up but if you die again before picking them up you lose them forever.
There are three categories of (what the book Rules of Play calls) operational rules:Setup – the things you do at the beginning of a game.Progression of Play – what happens during the game.Resolution – How an outcome is determined based on the game state.
ControlsNOTES
What controls are used?All but the big xbox button on the controller. These allow you to jump, walk, run, dodge, attack, block, use abilities, use items, open your inventory, equip new gear, use items, switch abilities, and pause the game, switch settings and such.
Was there a clear introductory tutorial?Yes it’s at the beginning of the game and is part of the prologue it teaches everything you will need to know to play the game.
Were they easy to understand or did you find yourself spamming the controller?They were easy to understand but since the controls were simple there was a lot of spamming to continue to attack or dodge or use abilities.
Resources & Resource ManagementNOTES
What kinds of resources do players control?The player controls health and skill points, money, upgrade points, and gear
How are they maintained during play?Health is maintained by either taking damage or healing one takes away the other gives back, skill points are maintained by using them to use abilities and then gain them back by waiting or using items. Money is maintained by killing enemies, finding it around the world, earning it by completing missions and objectives and you lose it by spending it on items. You gain upgrade points by killing enemies, finding them around the world, and gaining them from missions and objectives and you use them to level up and gain new abilities and level them up. Gear is gained by killing enemies and finding them around the world, and also from completing certain missions and objectives, after gaining them you can either keep them and use them or sell them for money and other resources.
What is their role?Their role is to give you a possible “lose condition” as well as to give you rewards for doing well and to give you motivation for going around and doing everything.
A resource is everything under the control of a single player. Could be the money in Monopoly or health in WoW. Other examples are:Territory in RISK The number of questions remaining in 20 Questions Objects picked up during videogames (guns, health packs, etc.)Time (game time, real-time, or both)Known information (like suspects in Clue)
Game StateNOTES
How much information in the game state is visible to the player?You know just about all your information and there is a fog of war for areas you haven’t been to yet.
A snapshot of the game at a single point is the game state. The resources you have, the un-owned properties in Monopoly, your opponent’s Archery skill all count towards the game state. Some example information structures are:Total Information – Nothing is hidden, like Chess.Info per player – Your hand of cards is only visible to you.One player has privileged info – Like a Dungeon Master.The game hides info from all players – Like Clue, where no one knows the victory condition.Fog of War – In video games, where certain sections of the map are concealed if you do not have a unit in sight range of that area. You also cannot see other players’ screens, so each player is unaware of the other’s information.
SequencingNOTES
In what order do players take their actions?The game is a real-time battle game so you take your turn as soon as you press a button but the enemies will be making their turns too.
How does play flow from one action to another?Pretty smoothly but for the most part you can’t do something until you have finished with the previous action, there is a little bit of a hesitation before it will do something.
Some structures include:Turn-based – Standard board game technique.Turn-based with simultaneous play – where everyone takes their turn at the same time (like writing something down or putting a card down in War).Real-time – Actions happen as fast as players can make them. Action-based video games.Turn-based and time limits – You have this long to take your turn.
Player InteractionFor the most part you attack monsters and they attack back, but you can trade with certain friendly NPC’s as well as gain new and more information.
Some examples:Direct Conflict – I attack you.Negotiation – If you support me here, I’ll help you there.Trading – I’ll give you this for that.Information Sharing – If you go there, I’m warning you, a trap will go off.
Theme & NarrativeNOTES
Does it have an actual story structure?Yes it does, it for the most part is very linear as you are playing the story but there is a function in the game where you can see memories of the past to gain more information and story.
Is it based on a historical event (or similar)?No it’s not based on a historical event as it is post-apocalyptic where a section of an area got sealed off from the rest of the world with what characters call the red fog.
Does the theme or narrative help you know how to play?You get notifications about what can be done and stuff like that but over all to know how to play you should go through the tutorial at the beginning of the game.
Does it have emotional impacts?Yes, and no there are definitely emotional impacts but I don’t know how effective they would be to others.
Also, look for en media res (does it start in the middle of the game)?No, as the game is about trying to find out how everything happened and how to make things better for the people stuck in the area.
The Elements in MotionNOTES
How do the different elements interact?When an enemy hits you, you lose a certain amount of Health, when you use an ability you lose a certain amount of skill points.
What is the gameplay like?Gameplay is paced well I would say if you watch the enemies and figure out their patterns its then all about rinse and repeat.
Is it effective?I would say for it yes it is effective it is a souls-like game but not at the same time.
Are there any points where the design choices break down?Not that I could find but I may just be inexperienced and not have seen them.
Design CritiqueNOTES
Why did the designer make these particular choices?I think that the designer made these choices because it fit what they wanted for the game and also because it fit the theme and might pull people into the game to play it.
Why this set of resources?Probably because it fit the style of the game and had chances of pulling in lots of people to play the game.
What if they made different decisions?If they made different decisions it could feel very different and have a different theme which would change how the story impacts players as well as the characters.
Does the design break down at any point?Not that I could find but I may not have seen any points of break down.
Graphics & SoundNOTES
Does the game art pair well with the mechanics?I feel that they pair well it fits the theme and the setting though the art may not fit some peoples preferences and likes.
Did you find any bugs or glitches?Not that I could find but as I haven’t done everything there is to do in the game I just may not have found them.
What about sound?The sound fits really well with the game and gives it a really foreboding and serious feel.
Can you spot any technical shortcuts?I couldn’t find any technical shortcuts, but I haven’t played the entire game yet to find any.
Various Stages of the GameNOTES
To wrap up, some things to keep in mind (as if there aren’t enough already) as you play:
What challenges do you face, and how do you overcome them?You face difficult enemies, puzzles, having to gain upgrade points and leveling up, but to get past the enemies you may have to learn their patterns and use that to defeat them, the puzzles you have to find hints and clues to complete them, and upgrade points are gained by completing the other things stated.
Is the game fair?For the most part yes, it’s meant to be a bit difficult and if you aren’t up for it then it may seem unfair.
Is it replayable? Are there multiple paths to victory or optional rules that can change the experience?I would say it’s not very replayable but you could play it again and choose a different set of abilities to use the next time.
What is the intended audience?JRPG lovers, anime lovers, and age range of roughly young adults to mid twenties.
What is the core, the one thing you do over and over, and is it fun?Fight enemies, I find it fun because of the different enemies and different weapons and abilities that can be used to defeat them.

This analysis form was adapted from https://notlaura.com/a-template-for-analyzing-game-design/

Game Analysis: Knights of Pen and Paper 2

Summary

  • I chose Knights of Pen and Paper 2 because it is a different genre and type of game from my previous ones. Also because multiple different types of characters and character combinations you can do and play with.

Game Play Analysis

Formal Elements
The Basics
Name of the gameKnights of Pen and Paper 2
The platformPlayed on Xbox One and Android, but it is also on Ps4, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Windows, Mac OS, and Linux
Time played (should be at least 30 minutes)8+ hours
If you could work on this game (change it), what would you change and why?I would add more classes, races, and players to add more variability to the game and more customization.
PlayersNOTES
How many players are supported?1
Does it need to be an exact number?Yes
How does this affect play?It makes it more self strategy and story driven than if there were more players supported. You are the player but you have multiple characters that you control.
Some types of player frameworks:Single Player – like Solitare.Head-to-head – 1 vs. 1, Chess.PvE – Player vs. Environment, or multiple players vs. the game. Common in MMOs like World of Warcraft.One against Many – Single-player vs. multiple (obvy).Free-for-all – Every man for himself (1 vs. 1 vs. 1 vs. 1..). Most common for multiplayer games, from Monopoly to Modern Warfare.Individuals Against the System – Like Blackjack, where the Dealer is playing against multiple players, but those players have no effect on each other.Team Competition – Multiple vs. multiple, i.e. sports.Predator-prey – Players form a circle and everyone’s goal is to attack the player on their left and defend themselves from the player on their right.Five-pointed Star – Eliminate both players who are not on either side of you.Single Player
Objectives/GoalsNOTES
What are the players trying to do?Level up, gain gear, complete missions, gain more party members/characters.
Some common objectives include:Capture/Destroy – Eliminate all your opponents pieces (Chess).Territorial Acquisition – Control as much territory as you can, not necessarily harming other players (RISK).Collection – Collect a certain number of objects throughout the game (Pokemon).Solve – Solve a puzzle or crime (Clue).Chase/race/escape – Anything where you are running towards or away from something (playground game Tag).Spatial Alignment – Anything involving the positioning of elements (Tetris or Tic-Tac-Toe or that game at Cracker Barrel).Build – Advance your characters or build your resources to a certain point (The Sims).Negation of another goal – The game ends if you perform an act that is forbidden by the rules (Jenga or Twister).Capture/Destroy, Collection, Solve, and Build from the common objectives listed.
Rules/Mechanics
There are three categories of (what the book Rules of Play calls) operational rules:Setup – the things you do at the beginning of a game.Progression of Play – what happens during the game.Resolution – How an outcome is determined based on the game state.Setup: You create two characters that you will use to complete objectives and kill enemies. There are 8 player types, 3 race options, and 6 class options at the beginning of the game if you haven’t bought add-ons early. Progression: You level up your characters upgrade their skills and gear, complete missions and kill enemies. Resolution: Enemies come in waves, once you kill the wave you have won and can move on unless you need to kill more, missions complete once you finish the specific objective like collecting 8 red apples, and you have beat the game once you complete the final mission and kill the final boss. But there are add-on dlc’s that add their own campaign and things to do.
ControlsNOTES
What controls are used?It is mainly point and click the buttons are clearly labeled as what they do, like the attack button, the block button, the item button, the magic/skill button, the inventory button and so on.
Was there a clear introductory tutorial?Yes, there was and it was quiet funny too.
Were they easy to understand or did you find yourself spamming the controller?It was easy to understand they were simple controls with not much behind them in terms of complexity.
Resources & Resource ManagementNOTES
What kinds of resources do players control?Health, Mana, Money, consumables, gear, and skill points.
How are they maintained during play?Health is maintained by a damage and healing system, you get attacked they have a chance of hitting you and if they do they do a predetermined amount of damage based on their level, your level, your active and passive skills, and your gear, you can heal your self with skills and consumables which of a set amount of health that they give back, Mana is slightly different where using skills and spells use up Mana and you regenerate with skills or consumables, these two also get restored whenever you successfully rest the night away. You gain money by completing missions and killing enemies and then you spend it on items that you buy from stores. Gear is obtained from enemies, missions, and stores. Skill points are gained by leveling up each level you gain a skill point and you can raise your characters skills up to a max of 20.
What is their role?Healths role is to determine whether that character is alive or dead, Manas role is to determine if you can use a skill or spell, Money’s role is to determine if you can buy an item from a shop, Gears role is to determine what effects your character will have ranging from damage, to damage reduction, threat, critical, and initiative, while skill points role is to determine how strong or potent a skill/spell is.
A resource is everything under the control of a single player. Could be the money in Monopoly or health in WoW. Other examples are:Territory in RISK The number of questions remaining in 20 Questions Objects picked up during videogames (guns, health packs, etc.)Time (game time, real-time, or both)Known information (like suspects in Clue)
Game StateNOTES
How much information in the game state is visible to the player?Just about all information besides a few things like attack patterns which you learn as you play.
A snapshot of the game at a single point is the game state. The resources you have, the un-owned properties in Monopoly, your opponent’s Archery skill all count towards the game state. Some example information structures are:Total Information – Nothing is hidden, like Chess.Info per player – Your hand of cards is only visible to you.One player has privileged info – Like a Dungeon Master.The game hides info from all players – Like Clue, where no one knows the victory condition.Fog of War – In video games, where certain sections of the map are concealed if you do not have a unit in sight range of that area. You also cannot see other players’ screens, so each player is unaware of the other’s information.
SequencingNOTES
In what order do players take their actions?Turn based, each character and enemy has an initiative score with this score and a random generated number from 1-20 added together you get that entities initiative and the higher your initiative the closer to first you start if you have the highest initiative you start first.
How does play flow from one action to another?It flows pretty well since it is turn based so one thing happens then something else happens there is a clear stack of things that happen and things don’t happen all at the same time.
Some structures include:Turn-based – Standard board game technique.Turn-based with simultaneous play – where everyone takes their turn at the same time (like writing something down or putting a card down in War).Real-time – Actions happen as fast as players can make them. Action-based video games.Turn-based and time limits – You have this long to take your turn.
Player InteractionYou fight enemies, trade money for items or items for money, and you complete missions.
Some examples:Direct Conflict – I attack you.Negotiation – If you support me here, I’ll help you there.Trading – I’ll give you this for that.Information Sharing – If you go there, I’m warning you, a trap will go off.Direct Conflict, Trading
Theme & NarrativeNOTES
Does it have an actual story structure?Yes it does. You are a group of friends of the Dungeon Master/Game Master (DM/GM) and you are playing the story of them and fight your way across the lands that he has created.
Is it based on a historical event (or similar)?No, it is a fantasy game loosely based around adventures from the paper and dice games like DnD and the like.
Does the theme or narrative help you know how to play?Yes, the DM tells you through NPC’s (Non-Player Characters) and other things what your objective is at the time or what objectives you can take one.
Does it have emotional impacts?Yes, though it is funny emotional impacts nothing that really should make you sad or angry unless you get upset at the game because you messed up or failed.
Also, look for en media res (does it start in the middle of the game)?No, it does not, you start at the beginning of the campaign.
The Elements in MotionNOTES
How do the different elements interact?They interact with each other pretty well and other things clearly impact other aspects or things of the game.
What is the gameplay like?It’s fun and simple, it keeps you playing without being to confusing or complex, there are some hard fights that you have to get around but enough strategics or grinding to increase your level should do it.
Is it effective?For the type of game it is yeah it’s effective.
Are there any points where the design choices break down?Not really at least not that I could find.
Design CritiqueNOTES
Why did the designer make these particular choices?To make a fun and lighthearted game that people still found interesting enough to play.
Why this set of resources?It went along with the theme, setting, and feel of the game giving it more of a cartoonist look.
What if they made different decisions?It would have a different feel.
Does the design break down at any point?Not that I could find or see no.
Graphics & SoundNOTES
Does the game art pair well with the mechanics?Yes it does, it gives it more of a cartoony look which fits its funny lighthearted feel it has.
Did you find any bugs or glitches?Not that I could find or see besides the ones that are programmed in the game, to specify the class of editions, you are playing first edition and you sometimes run into second edition characters or things that end up having adverse affects in the game.
What about sound?The sound was nice and evoked the kind of feelings you would expect for the areas you traveled to.
Can you spot any technical shortcuts?I couldn’t spot any no, but I just might not have noticed them.
Various Stages of the GameNOTES
To wrap up, some things to keep in mind (as if there aren’t enough already) as you play:
What challenges do you face, and how do you overcome them?Enemies, a few easy puzzles, and mission objectives. You kill enemies, and use clues to solve the puzzles, and you use the information given to you and your objective description to try and complete said objective the best you can.
Is the game fair?In my eyes and opinion I think it is fair.
Is it replayable? Are there multiple paths to victory or optional rules that can change the experience?Yes it is replayable, as I said earlier there are multiple character options and combinations that you could always play through with different characters multiple times.
What is the intended audience?Young teenagers to young adults I would say.
What is the core, the one thing you do over and over, and is it fun?Press buttons to do actions, and I would say it is fun enough, since those buttons facilitate the rest of the entire game and everything else that you do.

This analysis form was adapted from https://notlaura.com/a-template-for-analyzing-game-design/

Game Analysis: Nier Automata

Summary

  • I have chosen to analysis Nier Automata because of it’s interesting game mechanics and it’s branching story lines. Also because it was a beloved and liked game when it came out.

Game Play Analysis

Formal Elements
The Basics
Name of the gameNier Automata
The platformPlayed on Ps4 but is also on Xbox One
Time played (should be at least 30 minutes)6+ hours
If you could work on this game (change it), what would you change and why?I would and more weapons which might slightly change the weapon systems.
PlayersNOTES
How many players are supported?1
Does it need to be an exact number?Yes, 1
How does this affect play?It makes it more of a story driven game with interesting and challenging systems and obstacles.
Some types of player frameworks:Single Player – like Solitare.Head-to-head – 1 vs. 1, Chess.PvE – Player vs. Environment, or multiple players vs. the game. Common in MMOs like World of Warcraft.One against Many – Single-player vs. multiple (obvy).Free-for-all – Every man for himself (1 vs. 1 vs. 1 vs. 1..). Most common for multiplayer games, from Monopoly to Modern Warfare.Individuals Against the System – Like Blackjack, where the Dealer is playing against multiple players, but those players have no effect on each other.Team Competition – Multiple vs. multiple, i.e. sports.Predator-prey – Players form a circle and everyone’s goal is to attack the player on their left and defend themselves from the player on their right.Five-pointed Star – Eliminate both players who are not on either side of you.Single Player, PvE
Objectives/GoalsNOTES
What are the players trying to do?They are trying to level up, gain new gear, level up gear, and complete missions and objectives.
Some common objectives include:Capture/Destroy – Eliminate all your opponents pieces (Chess).Territorial Acquisition – Control as much territory as you can, not necessarily harming other players (RISK).Collection – Collect a certain number of objects throughout the game (Pokemon).Solve – Solve a puzzle or crime (Clue).Chase/race/escape – Anything where you are running towards or away from something (playground game Tag).Spatial Alignment – Anything involving the positioning of elements (Tetris or Tic-Tac-Toe or that game at Cracker Barrel).Build – Advance your characters or build your resources to a certain point (The Sims).Negation of another goal – The game ends if you perform an act that is forbidden by the rules (Jenga or Twister).
Rules/Mechanics
There are three categories of (what the book Rules of Play calls) operational rules:Setup – the things you do at the beginning of a game.Progression of Play – what happens during the game.Resolution – How an outcome is determined based on the game state.Setup: You adjust game settings like brightness and sound, you are following the story of specific characters so there isn’t any character creation or customization in the beginning of the game
ControlsNOTES
What controls are used?All but the capture button on the ps controller. You can jump, walk, run, double jump, float, dodge, light attack, heavy attack, switch weapon sets, use drones gun, use drones special ability, open in game menu, use items, collect items, sell items, buy items, upgrade gear, and much more.
Was there a clear introductory tutorial?For the basic controls yes, but there are more complex actions that you have to combine the basic actions together to get to work and you find those out yourself or from someone else.
Were they easy to understand or did you find yourself spamming the controller?Yes, overall they were simple but could be used to do some difficult or complicated actions.
Resources & Resource ManagementNOTES
What kinds of resources do players control?Health, Money, consumables, gear, and abilities.
How are they maintained during play?Health is maintained by healing, getting hit and so on. While money is maintained by spending it and earning it. Consumables are maintained by buying them, picking them up, and using them.
What is their role?To help give more “meat” to the game-play.
A resource is everything under the control of a single player. Could be the money in Monopoly or health in WoW. Other examples are:Territory in RISK The number of questions remaining in 20 Questions Objects picked up during videogames (guns, health packs, etc.)Time (game time, real-time, or both)Known information (like suspects in Clue)
Game StateNOTES
How much information in the game state is visible to the player?It’s mainly info per player, but you can learn and know some outside information depending on what you have equipped with your gear.
A snapshot of the game at a single point is the game state. The resources you have, the un-owned properties in Monopoly, your opponent’s Archery skill all count towards the game state. Some example information structures are:Total Information – Nothing is hidden, like Chess.Info per player – Your hand of cards is only visible to you.One player has privileged info – Like a Dungeon Master.The game hides info from all players – Like Clue, where no one knows the victory condition.Fog of War – In video games, where certain sections of the map are concealed if you do not have a unit in sight range of that area. You also cannot see other players’ screens, so each player is unaware of the other’s information.
SequencingNOTES
In what order do players take their actions?Real-time, you do what you want when you want.
How does play flow from one action to another?They flow really well and most actions can be used right after another, but there are a few things that take a little amount of time before you can do something else mainly based on the timing and duration of certain animations.
Some structures include:Turn-based – Standard board game technique.Turn-based with simultaneous play – where everyone takes their turn at the same time (like writing something down or putting a card down in War).Real-time – Actions happen as fast as players can make them. Action-based video games.Turn-based and time limits – You have this long to take your turn.
Player InteractionThere is a lot of direct conflict of you fighting enemies, but there are some enemies you can negotiate with and either have them against you or with you. Some of that negotiation is done through trading not to mention whenever you go to buy or sell something you are trading one thing for something else.
Some examples:Direct Conflict – I attack you.Negotiation – If you support me here, I’ll help you there.Trading – I’ll give you this for that.Information Sharing – If you go there, I’m warning you, a trap will go off.
Theme & NarrativeNOTES
Does it have an actual story structure?Yes it does.
Is it based on a historical event (or similar)?No, it’s post-apocalyptic
Does the theme or narrative help you know how to play?Yes and no, you get a feeling of how your characters personality is and if you want to play towards that personality you could but you don’t have to.
Does it have emotional impacts?Yes, yes it does.
Also, look for en media res (does it start in the middle of the game)?No it does not
The Elements in MotionNOTES
How do the different elements interact?Some elements interact with others and some don’t but the ones that do seem to interact with little to no problem.
What is the gameplay like?Really smooth and from medium to fast paced depending on the obstacles and your level and gear.
Is it effective?Yes, it is very entertaining and interactive.
Are there any points where the design choices break down?Not that I could find no.
Design CritiqueNOTES
Why did the designer make these particular choices?They thought that it would make the interactions and the game itself more enjoyable and if not that at least more interesting.
Why this set of resources?Because they thought it worked well with the rest of everything and fit just as well to the theme and setting.
What if they made different decisions?It would probably have a different feel and might not fit the theme or setting as well.
Does the design break down at any point?Not that I could tell or find.
Graphics & SoundNOTES
Does the game art pair well with the mechanics?I found that they paired really well together and helped with the feel and setting of the game and the animations seemed to be really smooth with very few to no problems.
Did you find any bugs or glitches?Not in my time of playing no but there might have been things I didn’t do that would have shown some bugs or glitches.
What about sound?The sounds and soundtrack worked really well with the setting and theme of the game and gave a feeling that fit the game.
Can you spot any technical shortcuts?Not that I could spot but that could just be because of lack of experience.
Various Stages of the GameNOTES
To wrap up, some things to keep in mind (as if there aren’t enough already) as you play:
What challenges do you face, and how do you overcome them?Enemies, Puzzles, and and mission objectives. You overcome the enemies by killing them more often then not, puzzles you use clues to try and figure it out and you try to complete the mission objectives the best you can and if that doesn’t work try again with more knowledge.
Is the game fair?For the most part yes, there are a few things that are difficult and take time or repetition that some may think isn’t fair.
Is it replayable? Are there multiple paths to victory or optional rules that can change the experience?Yes, there are multiple paths to play and you also of new game plus which allows you to rest your progress at a higher level and go through the game again.
What is the intended audience?Young adults to late 20’s mainly.
What is the core, the one thing you do over and over, and is it fun?Kill enemies and complete objectives, and yeah it’s fun the enemies are different and the objectives vary from one to the other.

This analysis form was adapted from https://notlaura.com/a-template-for-analyzing-game-design/

Game Analysis: Destiny 2

Summary

  • I choose Destiny 2 because it is one of my most favorite games. Also because it has had it’s ups and downs, as been out for 4+ years.

Game Play Analysis

Formal Elements
The Basics
Name of the gameDestiny 2
The platformPlayed on Xbox One X, but it is also available on Xbox Series X, Ps4, Ps5, and PC.
Time played (should be at least 30 minutes)Lifetime played: 67 days, 23 hours, and 4 minutes.
Analysis played: Roughly 2 hours going through as much of what the game had to offer as I could.
If you could work on this game (change it), what would you change and why?The balancing between PvP and PvE, because so far for the most part any changes that happen in game for a reason like its to broken in pvp so they mess with it and fix then translates over to pve where it was working just fine and no it is less then subpar.
PlayersNOTES
How many players are supported?It’s an online games with open servers and social places so a lot, but if we are talking about playing together the max would be 12 and the min would be 1.
Does it need to be an exact number?Sometimes yes Sometimes no. Certain activities will have a exact number to have but others do not.
How does this affect play?It can really change up the dynamic of play, say you want to do some end game stuff so you decide to do a raid, you can go into a raid with any number of people from 1 – 6 and depending on how many you have will change what strategies you use and what gear you equip, it can also determine what you can get done in said raid, some encounters or parts of the raid may have you activate something by standing on three separate plates at once meaning at minimum you should have three people.
Some types of player frameworks:Single Player – like Solitare.Head-to-head – 1 vs. 1, Chess.PvE – Player vs. Environment, or multiple players vs. the game. Common in MMOs like World of Warcraft.One against Many – Single-player vs. multiple (obvy).Free-for-all – Every man for himself (1 vs. 1 vs. 1 vs. 1..). Most common for multiplayer games, from Monopoly to Modern Warfare.Individuals Against the System – Like Blackjack, where the Dealer is playing against multiple players, but those players have no effect on each other.Team Competition – Multiple vs. multiple, i.e. sports.Predator-prey – Players form a circle and everyone’s goal is to attack the player on their left and defend themselves from the player on their right.Five-pointed Star – Eliminate both players who are not on either side of you.As a game it has multiple types of player frameworks depending on what you want to do in it, you could go 6v6 Pvp or free-for-all but there is also a campaign and pve content that can also be played with different pve player frameworks.
Objectives/GoalsNOTES
What are the players trying to do?Players main objective no matter what is to get new gear and level up, get stronger stuff like that.
Some common objectives include:Capture/Destroy – Eliminate all your opponents pieces (Chess).Territorial Acquisition – Control as much territory as you can, not necessarily harming other players (RISK).Collection – Collect a certain number of objects throughout the game (Pokemon).Solve – Solve a puzzle or crime (Clue).Chase/race/escape – Anything where you are running towards or away from something (playground game Tag).Spatial Alignment – Anything involving the positioning of elements (Tetris or Tic-Tac-Toe or that game at Cracker Barrel).Build – Advance your characters or build your resources to a certain point (The Sims).Negation of another goal – The game ends if you perform an act that is forbidden by the rules (Jenga or Twister).And will getting stronger is the main goal that almost never goes away you have a bunch of other types of objectives and that need to be completed or can be completed depending on what you do.
Rules/Mechanics
There are three categories of (what the book Rules of Play calls) operational rules:Setup – the things you do at the beginning of a game.Progression of Play – what happens during the game.Resolution – How an outcome is determined based on the game state.If you just start up the game and haven’t played it the first thing you do is choose what class you want to play between Titan, Warlock, and Hunter. And then after that you create how your character looks. After that you will play through the main vanilla campaign defeating bad guys getting armor and weapons, upgrading them getting more and leveling up to unlock new and cool powers. If you die in a no re-spawn zone you have to start over from before you entered that zone and some missions you have to redo the entire thing. But if you complete it and finish the last objective you complete the mission and move on.
ControlsNOTES
What controls are used?There is a lot of controls, every button but the home xbox button has one or more functions in the game. You can jump, walk, run, crouch, slide, double jump, triple jump, float, thruster boost, grapple, ride vehicles, shoot guns, aim down sights, swing swords, switch weapons, reload said weapons, melee, throw melee, throw grenades, dodge, put up a rift, put up a shield, use your super, interact with people, pick up items, and much more.
Was there a clear introductory tutorial?Yes, there was the beginning of the campaign takes you through stuff and teaches it to you as you reach needing it, but you can also learn about it before the game tells you.
Were they easy to understand or did you find yourself spamming the controller?Yes they were easy to understand, pretty simple all in all but once you combine them and the other functions of the game it might be overwhelming for certain people.
Resources & Resource ManagementNOTES
What kinds of resources do players control?Glimmer a form of currency, Silver a form of currency, Bright Dust a form of currency. Ammo, abilities, weapons, armor, ghosts, sparrows, ships, emotes, shaders, planetary materials, activity tokens, bounties, upgrade materials.
How are they maintained during play?Each has there own place to be and you can only have so much of each one, once you reach cap you can’t pick up anymore but you can spend some or use some to be able to pick more up.
What is their role?To buy things, keep you shooting bad guys, keep your guys up to par with the bad guys, get new equipment.
A resource is everything under the control of a single player. Could be the money in Monopoly or health in WoW. Other examples are:Territory in RISK The number of questions remaining in 20 Questions Objects picked up during videogames (guns, health packs, etc.)Time (game time, real-time, or both)Known information (like suspects in Clue)
Game StateNOTES
How much information in the game state is visible to the player?Mainly Info per player, but there are cases where you can look at another players loadout and see what weapons, armor, and abilities they have in use, but other then that anything else in their inventory like a weapon they could switch to by equipping it in their menu is hidden.
A snapshot of the game at a single point is the game state. The resources you have, the un-owned properties in Monopoly, your opponent’s Archery skill all count towards the game state. Some example information structures are:Total Information – Nothing is hidden, like Chess.Info per player – Your hand of cards is only visible to you.One player has privileged info – Like a Dungeon Master.The game hides info from all players – Like Clue, where no one knows the victory condition.Fog of War – In video games, where certain sections of the map are concealed if you do not have a unit in sight range of that area. You also cannot see other players’ screens, so each player is unaware of the other’s information.
SequencingNOTES
In what order do players take their actions?All at the same time
How does play flow from one action to another?Pretty smoothly but there are somethings that don’t make sense on why you can do it almost immediately after another action or while you are doing another action.
Some structures include:Turn-based – Standard board game technique.Turn-based with simultaneous play – where everyone takes their turn at the same time (like writing something down or putting a card down in War).Real-time – Actions happen as fast as players can make them. Action-based video games.Turn-based and time limits – You have this long to take your turn.
Player InteractionThere is direct conflict, and some information sharing. You attack things they attack you, you can tell your teammates information you have gained if you are in a chat with them.
Some examples:Direct Conflict – I attack you.Negotiation – If you support me here, I’ll help you there.Trading – I’ll give you this for that.Information Sharing – If you go there, I’m warning you, a trap will go off.
Theme & NarrativeNOTES
Does it have an actual story structure?Yes, there is a campaign that you play through, and each dlc has it’s own campaign, and each season has it’s own lore and information/story to tell and for you to find it.
Is it based on a historical event (or similar)?No, this is a fantasy/sci-fi would were the darkness attacked humanity and we had a societal collapse, and are trying to rebuild and defend ourselves.
Does the theme or narrative help you know how to play?To a point yes the them helps you know what you might do and how you might get to those things or do those things.
Does it have emotional impacts?Yes, about a year ago they killed off my favorite character which helped kick of that dlc’s story.
Also, look for en media res (does it start in the middle of the game)?Yes, some of the original story is unplayable now but they have created a new beginning for new players so that they start at the beginning of their game and will find out more information as they play.
The Elements in MotionNOTES
How do the different elements interact?For the most part they interact well with each other but there are times where things don’t work out and things happen, not always bad things though some good things can come out of that.
What is the gameplay like?Pretty smooth and fast paced.
Is it effective?For the game it is now yeah it is effective.
Are there any points where the design choices break down?Yes, as in all games there are somethings that don’t work out, we call those bugs, and no game will be completely bug free, though Destiny 2 does have it’s far share, but then again this answer may change depending on how people look at the meaning of “breaking down”
Design CritiqueNOTES
Why did the designer make these particular choices?To try and make the game entertaining and keep players playing.
Why this set of resources?It’s what they had on hand that could do what they were asking for from the game.
What if they made different decisions?It could have turned out way different. You could have had different graphics and interactions, the entire feel of the game would be different, for example if you changed the soundtrack it would change the entire mood of the game.
Does the design break down at any point?Depending on what you do yes, it does, but nothing to the point that it makes it unplayable, it’s just a few things that don’t interact well with each other or not at all but thats only in certain instances with certain things happening or being used.
Graphics & SoundNOTES
Does the game art pair well with the mechanics?I feel it does yes, but that may just be because I am used to the game.
Did you find any bugs or glitches?Yes, there are a few, but then again bugs and glitches when defined to different people could be different things, not everyone is going to see the same thing in the same way.
What about sound?The soundtrack is amazing, and it works really well with the game.
Can you spot any technical shortcuts?It looks and feels like they have used at least a similar copy of assets for different things, but I don’t know if I would call that a technical shortcut.
Various Stages of the GameNOTES
To wrap up, some things to keep in mind (as if there aren’t enough already) as you play:
What challenges do you face, and how do you overcome them?Puzzles, enemies, bosses, limited gear and equipment you can have on you. You beat puzzles by working really hard at figuring them out or you get someone else to do it for you, you get past enemies and bosses be killing them with weapons and completing their different phases if they have them.
Is the game fair?In some aspects yes, in others no.
Is it replayable? Are there multiple paths to victory or optional rules that can change the experience?Yes, there is at least some repeatability, as you can have three different characters and each weapon or armor you pick up can be different from others you have picked up.
What is the intended audience?Mainly young adults, and teenagers
What is the core, the one thing you do over and over, and is it fun?

The main thing you do is get new equipment and level up, it can be fun but depending on how tedious it is or how long it takes it become not fun.
This analysis form was adapted from https://notlaura.com/a-template-for-analyzing-game-design/

Game Analysis: CyberPunk 2077

Summary

  • I choose CyberPunk 2077 a Sci-fi Rpg, where you play as a mercenary for hire ‘V’ in Night City. I choose this game because it just came out on December tenth, and I thought it would be a good choice.

Game Play Analysis

Formal Elements
The Basics
Name of the gameCyberPunk 2077
The platformIt’s on Playstation, PC, and Xbox, but I played on Xbox
Time played (should be at least 30 minutes)Roughly four to five hours
If you could work on this game (change it), what would you change and why?Only thing that felt off to me and I would want to change would be the guns and shooting, compared to other great shooters it feels kind of slow and “bulky” if I had to put into a word, which isn’t a bad thing but it’s just not something I am used to and I would prefer to play a shooter type game with similar feelings to others, but again it’s not a bad thing it helps it stand out as of right now. But all in all I would rather try to fix all of the bugs and glitches that the game has on console right now to make it more user friendly.
PlayersNOTES
How many players are supported?It is a single player game.
Does it need to be an exact number?Yes
How does this affect play?It makes it a more story driven game than for it’s actual game play, of course the gameplay has to be good to get players to play through with them, but it is more focused on telling the story of ‘V’ then having outstanding gameplay which is what you would be looking for in multiplayer games.
Some types of player frameworks:Single Player – like Solitare.Head-to-head – 1 vs. 1, Chess.PvE – Player vs. Environment, or multiple players vs. the game. Common in MMOs like World of Warcraft.One against Many – Single-player vs. multiple (obvy).Free-for-all – Every man for himself (1 vs. 1 vs. 1 vs. 1..). Most common for multiplayer games, from Monopoly to Modern Warfare.Individuals Against the System – Like Blackjack, where the Dealer is playing against multiple players, but those players have no effect on each other.Team Competition – Multiple vs. multiple, i.e. sports.Predator-prey – Players form a circle and everyone’s goal is to attack the player on their left and defend themselves from the player on their right.Five-pointed Star – Eliminate both players who are not on either side of you.
Objectives/GoalsNOTES
What are the players trying to do?The player is trying to live as a mercenary in Night City when they get one of the biggest gigs ever, and that is to steal a prototype microchip that has the potential to give immortality.
Some common objectives include:Capture/Destroy – Eliminate all your opponents pieces (Chess).Territorial Acquisition – Control as much territory as you can, not necessarily harming other players (RISK).Collection – Collect a certain number of objects throughout the game (Pokemon).Solve – Solve a puzzle or crime (Clue).Chase/race/escape – Anything where you are running towards or away from something (playground game Tag).Spatial Alignment – Anything involving the positioning of elements (Tetris or Tic-Tac-Toe or that game at Cracker Barrel).Build – Advance your characters or build your resources to a certain point (The Sims).Negation of another goal – The game ends if you perform an act that is forbidden by the rules (Jenga or Twister).
Rules/MechanicsFor the most part it’s fairly standard like most rpg’s, they have character creation where you customize your character and determine what your starting stats are going to be. Then you choose a lifestyle that you want to have lived between; Nomad, Street Kid, and Corpo. Each one gives different starting prologues and slightly different dialogues throughout the game. During the game you take on certain ‘missions’ and complete them for rewards, you can also do ‘side missions’ to get extra rewards. As you play the game and progress you also level up and get stat points and skill points that are used to raise up your five basic stats up to a max of twenty and to gain and increase skills found under those stats. As I haven’t completed the game I can’t give details on how it all wraps together so I’ll just use my experience of going through and finishing missions, so far if you die, you restart a little ways back and have to play through that area or the entire mission again, if you complete it you get your rewards and most of the time another mission afterwards to keep the story going so it doesn’t get stagnate. And as I forgot to try and purposely fail a mission I can’t give specifics if it is possible and if it is what happens.
There are three categories of (what the book Rules of Play calls) operational rules:Setup – the things you do at the beginning of a game.Progression of Play – what happens during the game.Resolution – How an outcome is determined based on the game state.
ControlsNOTES
What controls are used?There are controls for moving, sprinting, crouching, sliding, looking around, readying and holstering your weapon, switch weapons, block with a melee weapon or aim with ranged weapon, also attack with a melee weapon or a ranged weapon, also jumping, using consumables, throwables, your phone, your inventory and character screen, the pause screen, reloading your ranged weapons, also activating and using your cyber-ware.
Was there a clear introductory tutorial?Yes, though it was a little bit into the game before you got the introductory tutorial and it also gave you the option to skip it.
Were they easy to understand or did you find yourself spamming the controller?I was easy to understand but putting some of them to practice took, well practice as the controls and aspects of the cyber-ware were unique and different.
Resources & Resource ManagementNOTES
What kinds of resources do players control?Equipment; weapons, armor, clothing, materials, consumables, throwables, and cyber-ware. Money, skill points, stat points, health, stamina, ammo, game time, information.
How are they maintained during play?You can only ever have three weapons equipped at one time the rest are left in your inventory or your stash, same with armor except there is only one slot for each type of armor piece. When you get hit by a weapon it deals a predetermined amount of damage to you, and your health has a determined amount of health to lose when you get hit, and this can be restored over time, or with a healing item. Stamina is used when you sprint or use melee attacks, and regenerates over time. Ammo is used every time you shoot and you can pick up more by running around and finding it or you can make your own with the materials you have in your inventory which is also used to craft and upgrade equipment. Money is earned after completing objectives and by picking it up from around the world.
What is their role?There role is to balance the game and make it fun yet challenging for those that want it, to keep people from just using one thing infinitely without having to worry about it.
A resource is everything under the control of a single player. Could be the money in Monopoly or health in WoW. Other examples are:Territory in RISK The number of questions remaining in 20 Questions Objects picked up during videogames (guns, health packs, etc.)Time (game time, real-time, or both)Known information (like suspects in Clue)
Game StateNOTES
How much information in the game state is visible to the player?For the most part the player only has limited information about themselves. Example, in a gun fight, you only have the environment, the enemies, your health, your stamina, your quickbar items, your current weapon and it’s ammo if it’s a ranged weapon. But you also have the ability to scan objects and gain information on them, which when you do that you only have the information on what you are scanning and nothing more besides environment.
A snapshot of the game at a single point is the game state. The resources you have, the un-owned properties in Monopoly, your opponent’s Archery skill all count towards the game state. Some example information structures are:Total Information – Nothing is hidden, like Chess.Info per player – Your hand of cards is only visible to you.One player has privileged info – Like a Dungeon Master.The game hides info from all players – Like Clue, where no one knows the victory condition.Fog of War – In video games, where certain sections of the map are concealed if you do not have a unit in sight range of that area. You also cannot see other players’ screens, so each player is unaware of the other’s information.
SequencingNOTES
In what order do players take their actions?For the most part it is whatever input the player decides to do. Say you just load up the game after a previous four hour session, some things you could do is, move around, look around, jump, pull out your weapon, open your inventory and character screen, pop a consumable, or use a throwable and so much more.
How does play flow from one action to another?Pretty smooth going from aiming to shooting, or shooting to pulling out a sword and slicing some one happens smoothly without many bumps, but there are some actions that cause a cooldown before something else can happen but it isn’t normal for to long maybe a few seconds at most.
Some structures include:Turn-based – Standard board game technique.Turn-based with simultaneous play – where everyone takes their turn at the same time (like writing something down or putting a card down in War).Real-time – Actions happen as fast as players can make them. Action-based video games.Turn-based and time limits – You have this long to take your turn.
Player InteractionThere is combat in the game as well as dialogue where you can choose between multiple responses as well as trading money for equipment or information.
Some examples:Direct Conflict – I attack you.Negotiation – If you support me here, I’ll help you there.Trading – I’ll give you this for that.Information Sharing – If you go there, I’m warning you, a trap will go off.
Theme & NarrativeNOTES
Does it have an actual story structure?Yes
Is it based on a historical event (or similar)?No
Does the theme or narrative help you know how to play?Kind of, as a avid gamer I got the gist of the theme and understood how to play my character, but for newcomers that might not be that easy.
Does it have emotional impacts?Yes
Also, look for en media res (does it start in the middle of the game)?No it does not
The Elements in MotionNOTES
How do the different elements interact?They interact pretty well besides the few bugs and glitches the game has
What is the gameplay like?Unique and average, nothing outstanding besides the use and interaction with cyber-ware
Is it effective?For the game and how it feels, yes I would say it is effective gameplay
Are there any points where the design choices break down?Not that I could find in my few hours of playing
Design CritiqueNOTES
Why did the designer make these particular choices?Probably to give a certain feel to the game and to have it portray things in a certain way.
Why this set of resources?To flow with the setting and and theme of the story
What if they made different decisions?It would be a completely different game
Does the design break down at any point?Not that I have found
Graphics & SoundNOTES
Does the game art pair well with the mechanics?In my opinion yes the graphics aren’t anything astonishing but they are really well done, and you can tell the time that was put into them
Did you find any bugs or glitches?Yes, mainly freezing, and crashing every now and again
What about sound?The soundtrack is beautiful and works really well with the setting of the game
Can you spot any technical shortcuts?No, I feel like I am still to inexperienced to notice many shortcuts
Various Stages of the GameNOTES
To wrap up, some things to keep in mind (as if there aren’t enough already) as you play:
What challenges do you face, and how do you overcome them?Groups of enemies, mainly just playing tactically deals with them. Know what skills to pick up and where to put stat points, my first playthrough of any game is to play through the easiest difficulty so that I can pay attention to the story and mechanics before I try harder difficulties
Is the game fair?I believe it is, things that are hard to do are hard to do but not impossible, and things that you do normally can still be messed up
Is it replayable? Are there multiple paths to victory or optional rules that can change the experience?Yes
What is the intended audience?Rpg shooter fans for the broad audience
What is the core, the one thing you do over and over, and is it fun?Missions, and yes it is fun they have a variety of missions so that you aren’t doing the same one over and over again

This analysis form was adapted from https://notlaura.com/a-template-for-analyzing-game-design/

Game Design – Week 14 – Intro to Analysis

“Analysis gave me great freedom of emotions and fantastic confidence. I felt I had served my time as a puppet.”

Hedy Lamarr

SUMMARY

  • I took this week to work with my family and find new ways to help increase my productivity in school, while also working on a things for school.

CLASSROOM (THEORY & ANALYSIS)

  • I have played CyberPunk 2077, Destiny 2, and a few simple idle phone games.

OUTSIDE (CREATIVITY, PRODUCTIVITY & THE BRAIN)

Image from bananatreelog.com
  • I know for myself I haven’t been paying to much attention to my self-care and mental health because I have been so focused on trying to graduate in this hectic year. I have, since the beginning, been getting better about it but it won’t go away no matter what I feel pressured to do well and to pass my classes to complete missing or late work. And this pressure isn’t always from other people, it’s also the ingrained reaction in my brain, that if I don’t do well in school and mess up in school I won’t be able to make it in the “real world”, but I am trying my best, to be strong, to not break, and to build myself back up if I do break. And I do have people to talk with but I always feel like I would be bothering them and getting in their way if I brought up all my worries and problems so I keep them to myself, it’s not that I don’t trust them, I do ask for help when I really need it, but I also feel that it’s best to try and work on stuff myself before I decide to rely on others.

ARCADE

  • I decided to play CyberPunk 2077 for this analysis.

WHAT I LEARNED and PROBLEMS I SOLVED

  • I have learned that one problem I have for completing work is the amount of screen time I have each day as increased a lot since last school year, so I have been burning myself out faster than normal. I have found a way to somewhat solve this problem from talking with my family, we plan to get me some blue light filtering glasses to allow me to work longer before I get headaches and eye pains.

Game Design – Week 11 – Updating Workflow – Mind Like Water

“Have a mind like water.”

― David Allen,  GTD

SUMMARY

  • I have played video games, started to learn javascript and am trying to catch up on schoolwork. I have also had a mental breakdown as well has a hugging session.

PRACTICE ROOM (TUTORIALS)

Construct 3 / PlayCanvas – Javascript

CLASSROOM (THEORY & ANALYSIS)

Screenshot from Construct.net
  • I have learned that whether you are a beginner or have knowledge, that construct 3 lets you learn to make games in multiple ways, their own block building for games is easy and simple for people that are just beginning and as you progress you can slowly switch over to coding with javascript. Not to mention they have multiple premiums that you can get, one for individual, one for corporation, and one for education each one giving you benefits for the topic you choose. Not to mention that I learned that it was used to make games that I have seen like ‘There Is No Game’.

LAB (THEORY PRACTICED)

Screenshot from editor.construct.net

OUTSIDE (PRODUCTIVITY & THE BRAIN)

Image from bananatreelog.com
  • The infographic was really informative and I think and feel like I am having deficiency issues with all of them. I would really like to exercise regularly but I don’t care for calisthenics and prefer weight training, I am currently working with my parents to get a pair of 25 lbs dumbbells to help me start. I listen to music a lot already so I’ll continue to do that. I have been wanting to change how I eat and what I eat at what time for a while so I’ll be looking into that. I guess I could try taking a cold shower some time. I have been at home for the most part since covid hit so I haven’t really seen the sun that much could change that by going on a walk every now and again if it is safe to do so. I am keeping in contact with friends and family and my birthday is coming up soon so that will help with socializing. I like spicy food so I might eat a little bit more along with some dark chocolate every now and again. I can also looking into how to meditate effectively so that I can get the most out of that, I’ll also try to let my emotions out more see if that helps.

STUDIO (CREATIVITY)

Screenshot from Construct Begginer’s Guide
  • A very simple 2d side scroller, with gaps and a circle jumping over them. When the circle goes out of the layout it will reset and you can keep going.

WHAT I LEARNED and PROBLEMS I SOLVED

  • I learned a little more about javascript, I started learning HTML a little back in middle school and haven’t kept up with it. And I have thought of some ways to solve my lack of motivation, my sadness, and other things as well and will work on it.

Game Design – Week 10 – GTD – Getting Things Done – Part 2

Teens are overwhelmed, partly because they don’t yet have the skills to manage the unprecedented amount of stuff that enters their brains each day.  – from LifeHacker.com

“Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them.”

“You can do anything, but not everything.”

― David Allen, (GTD) Getting Things Done for Teens: Take Control of Your Life in a Distracting World

SUMMARY

  • I have gotten a few things done this week, not much though sadly.

PRACTICE ROOM (TUTORIALS)

Unity – C#

CLASSROOM (THEORY & ANALYSIS)

Screenshot from Animated Book Summary And Review at YouTube

You are going to learn to develop your own version of David Allen’s Getting Things Done (GTD) process in this ‘room.’

  • The Getting Things Done process can be really effective if you apply it well to yourself. For me personally my GTD process would be to process my school work first and then anything else that needs to be done. For school work I put them in by the date they were assigned so that I can work on them in some semblance of order.

LAB (THEORY PRACTICED)

Screenshot of David Allen TED Talk
Screenshot of David Allen TED Talk
Screenshot from Animated Book Summary And Review at YouTube

Examine Two GTD Maps: Basic and Detailed

  1. Detailed map by guccio@文房具社 icensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
  2. Basic map from BiggerPlate.com embedded below

GTD-based Trusted System

Image from Trello.com

OUTSIDE (PRODUCTIVITY & THE BRAIN)

  • Go for a 15-minute walk, if it is safe to do so  and follow the advice from David Allen

OPTIONAL EXERCISE

STUDIO (CREATING MAPS)

  • Just WRITE STUFF DOWN
  • Decide the ACTIONS and OUTCOMES embedded in them
  • Get yourself a MAP OF ALL THAT so you can step back and take a look at it.
  • And then, basically, you USE THE MAP TO DECIDE, “OK, here’s the course that we’re going to go on.”
  • You then LAUNCH the ‘ship’ on a trusted course in the short term, as well as on the long horizon that you’re moving on.
  • And then, on a regular basis, you need to REASSESS, “OK, we need to take in NEW DATA, CLEANUP, RECALIBRATE, and REFOCUS for the next leg of the journey.”
  • ‘Capture’ all the ACTION ITEMS you can in your GTD Trusted System

WHAT I LEARNED and PROBLEMS I SOLVED

  • I learned of a new way to deal with my problems. The GTD system helps me get things down and out of my head so that it is less to remember.
  • I have solved for the most part my problem of being overwhelmed by all the things I have to do and the things I haven’t done yet.